Home Again
by Isildur's Heiress
Summary: For the first time in nearly a decade, Loki, Norse god of mischief and lies, has returned to Midgard. What has changed about the woman he knew and loved? And will he have a chance to live a happy, family life, despite the antics of one of his doppelgangers, who has developed a mind of it's own?


Home Again

Author: Isildur's Heiress

Rating: T, for language and sensuality.

Summary: For the first time in nearly a decade, Loki, Norse god of mischief and lies, has returned to Midgard. What has changed about the woman he knew and loved? And will he have a chance to live a happy, family life, despite the antics of one of his doppelgangers, who has developed a mind of it's own?

* * *

Chapter 1

(Veronica POV)

Ugh. I didn't want to go home. But my stepsister was texting me so much my speakers were going to blow. I grudgingly left my job at the Fireplace bookstore and café, saying a quick goodnight to Nicholas, the only other clerk on duty that evening.

"Night. Drive safe." He replied, smiling shyly.

I flashed him a quick smile and waved as I left, wishing for all the world that he wasn't so adorable.

"_Well you could always just _date_ him." _Quipped the tiny, opinionated thing that I tended to think of as my conscience .

"Shut up, you." I said aloud.

I hadn't much paid attention to the texts Sam had sent me at this point, but her boyfriend Brandon probably dumped her again and I needed to go get some Rocky Road, the Twilight movies, and The Notebook so that she might calm down in the next week.

My phone rang again, this time it was my ringtone for a call. and I sighed but I looked at the caller ID. Well surprise, surprise.

"Yes, dear sister?"

"VERONICA MORGAN!" She hissed, loudly. " Quit ignoring me, God dammit! This dude is freaking me the eff out! Get your ass home and get rid of him!"

"What guy?"

She sighed, exasperatedly. "Read the damn texts"

A click ended our conversation abruptly. I looked at my texts with new curiosity and gathered that there was a man supposedly from the bookstore named Loki who was asking for me, and reminded her eerily of my ex.

No. It couldn't be. He had left almost ten years ago.

I sent Sam back a message "Thanks Dawl…" and continued my drive home.

My phone dinged a message from Sam "-_-….U suck."

I laughed . Sam had been my roommate since our parents had moved in together when our parents had met online. I had been 11, her older brother was 13, she was 9 and a half and the youngest brother had been 6. As sisters we had had our ups and downs, of course, but we moved past that, especially when she needed a place to stay about six months ago.

I got to our apartment on East 23rd and walked through the doors of building A, up the stairs to apartment 4 and into the peaceful palace of Oh-my-god.

"Hey Sam!" I shouted from the door, and started to take off my gloves .

My normally laid back roommate streaked from the living room and whispered "Holy shit you took your time!"

I laughed "Well yeah, I wouldn't have taken so long if you had stopped texting me!"

"Ugh! You need to get this guy gone though. He's a total freak, all polite and shit. Seriously reminds me of the old Loki that way…"

I worked off my boots and coat and walked into my small but cozy living room. Sitting there like he expected to be served, was Loki, god of mischief and lies. I froze for a moment, and calmly walked over and bitch-slapped him across the face.

Sammie gaped at me "What the hell?"

"Sam, take the keys and get out for a few hours." I turned and said trying to keep my voice level.

Loki was still cringing on my sofa. She darted to my side, grabbed the keys to my Chevy Suburban and promptly exited stage right.

Loki had finally recovered enough to say " Hello to you too, Veronica."

I whirled around to face him and nearly shrieked "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE!"

I watched his eyes narrow and harden at words. "I was hoping for a better reception." he spoke, and I swore the temperature dropped a few degrees at his tone.

"Oh? And what _exactly _deluded you into thinking that?" I asked, voice coated in sarcasm.

"You did, you said I would always be welcomed into your home." he bit at me.

I was aghast "I was **sixteen**, and thought you were the hottest thing since pop-tarts, not to mention the fact that I didn't think you would _leave me_! How could you possibly believe that I…I ..urgh." I sighed and plunked myself cross-legged on the floor with my head in my hands.

He smirked at me, holly-leaf eyes twinkling with mirth. "Hottest thing since pop-tarts? Dearest it was more than that. Much, much more."

I could tell he was trying not to laugh. Well fuck you, too.

I shrugged. " I hated you for leaving. Still do." I was sullen now that biting wit had melted from my mind.

"I know. I came back didn't I?" he sank from the sofa to his knees beside me.

I looked up and glared at him "So I'm supposed to excuse you like everything is hunky-dory?"

"No. But I had hoped that you had forgiven me enough to allow me to stay with you for a while. Family issues, and such.

I chuckled. " Thor?"

"Uh-huh." he said staring at the floor.

" Fine," I conceded. "but only so long as you get on your feet in two weeks and do your best not to damage my stepsister more than she is."

He laughed. "That was Samantha? My how she's grown."

"Well no _shit_, the last time you saw her, she was 14!" I teased.

" How old are you two now?" he asked.

"I'm 24, and she's 22."

" Hmm. 8 years?" he seemed genuinely dumbfounded.

I attempted to answer him but all that would come out were choked gasps as the reality of the situation hit me like a Mack truck. I broke down into dry sobs, finally allowing years of suppressed memories and emotions to surface.  
I could still remember everything; the elation of meeting Loki for the first time, when he was a sophomore and I was a freshman, the sheer joy when the 17 year old heartthrob asked me out in the most adorable way ever, the pair of us being stuttering bundles of nerves on our first date. I remembered coming to love Loki with all of my heart and soul, and coming to have the feeling returned. I was the only person who knew his actual back story, I knew about all the shit with his dad and his brother and him ending up pregnant. Three times. I knew it all and loved him anyway. I loved him the more for it. For a while, at least.

On my 17th birthday-our two-year anniversary-we had made love for the first time, in the back of his Thunderbird. The next day, when I was driving to school, he called me.

"Hi baby." I said, smiling, even though he couldn't see it, I knew he could hear it.

"Hello." His voice had been different, wrong, somehow.

"What's wrong?" Nothing could have been wrong, right? Not with us. Not then.

"I'm leaving. I have to go back." He had sounded so _cold_.

"Now? But- Why?" I had been so confused. What had I done wrong?

"I can't talk anymore. Goodbye, Miss Young." He hadn't called me that since we met. He hadn't been that cold, and short with me since he thought I was just some stupid Freshman, and his contempt for me was palpable.

I had pulled over, and sobbed. A few minutes later, still sobbing heavily, I had called my parents, begging them to come and get me. When they asked me why, I had explained to the best of my ability what had happened. Mom and Dad had come and gotten me with my Mom's car in a few minutes. Dad had driven my car home, and I rode in the passenger seat of my Mom's Buick. I spent the next three months in a state of grief, only coming out because my pregnancy became too obvious to ignore.

* * *

We were still kneeling on the floor of my living room, his arm around me, I was leaning into his shoulder almost reflexively. How many hours had we spent on my parents' couch exactly like this? I couldn't count them.

Loki was lost in thought for a moment, then asked " Hell, my friend?"

"Yeah, it sounds kinda stupid but after you left, I went into depression and almost didn't come out. That's, I guess, why I was so shocked when you came back and acted like you hadn't left." I chuckled. "I reacted the way I did because I resented you, and missed you."

Loki asked " Do you resent me still?"

"No," I said quietly. " not as much as at first."

He looked at me, his orbs of molten emerald mirroring mine which brimmed with tears of hurt and amazement. Before I knew what I was doing I picked up my head from his shoulder, put my hand gently on his cheek and brought his lips to mine.

The kiss was more passionate than any we had shared before. Loki made to deepen it his tongue dancing with mine in a way that made me moan. I felt him smirk against my lips, playing with my tongue a little more before using one hand to keep me flush against him while the other worked its way slowly up the back of my shirt.

Loki's hand was cold and I arched my back pushing our torsos together, when from behind came a mirth-filled "AHEM!"

I stood up blushing cherry red. I yelled " Samantha Nicole! What the- I'm gonna- OHHH WHAT DID YOU FORGET!"

Sam looked at me in a way and said gleefully " My wallet, God. No need to have a heart attack. In hindsight _I _should be the one having a heart attack."

Loki laughed and we both turned and stared at him. "What?" he asked innocently .

I glared at him and Sam smirked beatifically and chirped " See ya love birds! Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

Loki looked up at me and sighed "Times have surely changed my dear."

I laughed. " You ain't kiddin'. I remember the last time she caught us like that….ugh. I didn't hear the end of it from Dad for weeks. That was just before you left so I didn't really care. I was too busy trying to cling to the memories that I had of you."

Loki looked at me with concern and pulled me into his lap. I fought him a bit then allowed him to hold me close and bury his face in my hair. "I'm sorry." he said, his voice muffled.

I half-smiled and snuggled closer into his chest "Well you're back now and I can keep you forever just like this."

Loki gazed down on me affection in his eyes and spoke "In truth, dear, I don't know how long I can stay."

Suddenly enraged I bolted up and whirled on him, " WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW?! DO YOU ENJOY SHATTERING MY HEART?"

Loki tried to say some thing but I cut him off. " NO! DI-DIDYOU REALLY THINK YOU COULD JUST COME AND GO AS YOU PLEASE? SURE! GO AHEAD! DON'T WORRY YOUR'E ONLY RIPPING AWAY ¾ OF MY EXISTENCE! DAMN YOU! DON'T YOU SEE?" At this I broke down bawling.

Loki pulled me back into his arms. "Hey, hey, shhhhh." he soothed as he rocked me, I sobbed into his sweater leaving horrible damp patches. "I never mentioned leaving right this very second. No, love, I'll give you some warning."

Loki's words calmed me down but I was still to choked up to answer him right. I nodded and buried myself deeper into him, his arms, and his delicious minty-piney-snowy scent, dozing a little. It had been a while since I was content like this.

* * *

Loki gently shook me awake just before Sam got home, which, as I soon found out, was the glorious hour of 2:34 am. Judging by the laughter and sounds of skin on pavement she had brought Brandon home and they were drunk. I groaned

Loki glanced at me and asked "What's wrong, love?"

I cracked his favorite smile. "Sam and her boyfriend are coming home drunk."

He raised an eyebrow and said " I never took Samantha for a party girl. Who is Brandon?"

I rolled my eyes. "You only knew the family side. Brandon is her 26-year-old boyfriend, of whom my parents approve _wholeheartedly_. Oddly enough they hated him when I brought him home."

" A man older than you is dating your _younger sister_? And he being your ex, no less?" Loki asked incredulously. Before I could answer the drunken couple crashed through the door, groping each other and laughing.

"Hiya Ron!" shouted Samantha drunkenly. "Have you met my boyfriend, Brandon?" She giggled.

Loki looked at me before I could hide my eyes which brimmed with hurt. That bastard had cheated on me with Sam, and while I placed none of the _ initial_ blame on my sister, I had left Brandon within moments of catching them.

" Are you two, possibly, up for another round?" Loki asked , and I could see the gears turning in his head.

"Hells yeah!" shouted Brandon, who was more than a bit of an ass when sober. I still had no clue which part of my brain thought that it had been a good idea to stay with him.

"I'll go mix an England Special then," Loki said with enthusiasm. "you two wait in here, Veronica come with me." I shot him a puzzled look, but went into the kitchen with him.

"Where do you keep your liquor and sedatives?" Loki asked.

"Erm. Liquor is in the third cabinet from the stove, and sedative-type drugs are in the second drawer to your left."

"Thank you." he said and grabbed me by the waist to kiss my cheek.

I giggled like a school girl. I squirmed and when he didn't let me go I said "Loki, can I go now? Please?"

Loki smirked at me " You may go when I let you, Veronica." He said.

I laughed "Oh you think so, do you?" I squirmed some more. Loki held me higher on his hip and grinned, mixing Sam and Brandon's drink one-handed.

"Loki, just out of curiosity what are you giving Sam and Brandon?" I asked.

Flashing me a smirk Loki said "No worries, I'm not going to kill them, they'll just sleep for about 8 to 9 hours."

I laughed "Why does this sound suspiciously like the last time I allowed you to drug my sister and her boyfriend? That poor boy was in the hospital for a week, if you've forgotten."

Loki chuckled "I haven't. Martini glasses?"

"Second cabinet to the right of the sink."

Loki snapped his fingers and my two best martini glasses appeared on the counter in front of him. I gasped , Loki went sheepish and said "I'm sorry my dear, I forgot you need time to get used to my… talents."

"It's alright." I smiled at him in reassurance.

"Now, shall we serve drinks?" Loki asked, grinning.

"I would say yes if I weren't glued to a certain someone's hip." I said.

He smirked "Soon I won't have to hold you."

I wrapped my arms around his neck and nuzzled his shoulder. He pressed my head closer to his heart and murmured "I missed you, Raven."

We stayed entwined until Brandon yelled " When's that round comin'? I'm getting damn thirsty in here!"

I sighed and said "Okay, we've gotta go." Loki finally let me down but kept his hand on my hip.

We walked into my living room, to find Sam and Brandon sprawled on the floor, giggling like loons. " Hey Sam why don't you and Brandon go and enjoy these drinks in your _bedroom_ ?" I suggested.

"Okay." Sam chirped and dragged Brandon by the wrist carrying both drinks.

I looked at Loki "I'm guessing you had something to do with her willingness?"

Loki chuckled "Yes. Is there some issue?"

"No, no." I replied quickly . "She usually takes some persuading though."

Loki arched a brow "Should I bring her back?" he asked quizzically.

I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck. " Umm, no. She and Brandon can have 'play time' as they put it."

Loki smirked. "What about you and I? What shall we do?"

I laughed again. "What did you have in mind, my dear?" I was honestly curious, but I did my best not to show it. Loki's smirk widened when I gasped at his chilled hands on my thighs.

" Baby, could you hold that thought while I go change? The last time I slept in these jeans and on leather, the next morning kinda sucked ass."

Loki rolled his eyes and sighed "I suppose but do not take your time."

"Of course sir, would you also like a mocha, decaf no foam?" I replied sarcastically.

Loki smiled at me. "Yes! Right Meow!"

I snorted and rolled my eyes. I went into the bedroom that I shared with my sister, as had been the setup for our entire adolescence . As I opened my dresser I heard Sam moaning on the other side of the divider.

" Hey you mind keeping it down over there?" I yelled as I grabbed a grey undershirt and a pair of black, mid-thigh, sweat shorts. My resident smart-ass moaned louder and I heard muffled laughter.

I grumbled " I am going to go over there and pull out all but 3 strands of hair from your head if you don't _shut up _Samantha !"

Sam replied in a low growl " Touch me and you will _die." _

I changed into my undershirt and shorts and laughed " Oh will I? Because I'm pretty damn sure I know a guy who can kick your ass!"

I strode from the room still laughing. I walked into the living room, Loki was leisurely spread across the length of my couch, eyelids closed. I knelt down on my knees and crept over to the arm of the couch his head rested on. I slowly stood, bent at the waist leveling my face to his upside down and blew gently on his face. Loki shot up blinking and gasping, I laughed so hard it felt like I would burst. Loki was frozen aghast for a moment then, with a low growl he grabbed my waist and flipped me so that I was laying on my back on his stomach.

He held my wrists across my waist, and growled in my ear " My darling had anyone else dared do what you did they would not have use of their hands for a few days."

Still giggling from teasing Sam, this exploded me into rolling laughter again and I couldn't stop for what felt like 15 minutes. Loki shook his head and chuckled at my hysterics.

Loki rolled us over "Where were we?" he asked, smirking. He ran his chilled hands up and down my legs

"Somewhere right about here." I gasped.

Right then my phone sang out " I'm a Bitch by Merideth Brooks" signaling a call from my mom. I wrapped my arms around Loki's neck, my legs around his hips and I screamed into Loki's perfect chest.

I picked up the phone and said with a sigh " Helluva time to call Mom!"

"I recently received a text that a certain male has come back into your life." My mom, Sharon, sounded unusually irritated.

"Yeah, what about him? I asked, my voice laced with contempt.

"Where is that scrawny little asshole so I can beat the shit out of him!" My 49-year-old mother shrieked into the phone.

"Mom, please, I have eardrums, he's sitting right next to me on the sofa, and _no you may not _beat the shit out of him, I'm still attached remember?"

My mom laughed cruelly " Just wait until your father gets a hold on the sorry bastard!"

"MOTHER! I will take care of the issues there tomorrow when we come over for lunch." I looked pointedly at Loki, knowing he had heard the entire conversation, and he blanched corpse-pale. "I will see you tomorrow, goodnight." I said quickly.

"Goodnight baby. " Mom replied, voice finally softening. "OH! Hang on!"

"What?"

"Did you tell him about the baby?"

"Not yet."

I could hear my mother all but rubbing her hands together maniacally.

"Good_night, _Mother." I said, hoping she would catch the inflection.

She did. "Love you, babe"

I hung up the phone and thought that I should probably tell the father of my child that he was a father. Maybe.

* * *

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